We follow a ritual of offering ‘bhog’ to the deity we worship. The ritual also involves sprinkling water all around the place where we sit down to eat food. The sprinkling of water prevents ants and insects from approaching the food, says one school of thought. But in spiritual terms, there is a deeper meaning .

BhagwadGitaand Yoga Shastras categorise food into three types corresponding to their properties termed as gunas. Depending upon satoguna, rajoguna and tamoguna, the food items are categorized as satvik, rajsik or tamsik.

Satvik food provides calmness, purity and promotes longevity, intelligence, strength, health, happiness and delight. The examples of satvik food items are fruits, vegetables, leaves, grains, cereals, milk, honey, etc. These items can be consumed as they are. One can live on satvik food for life.

Onlysatvik food is offered to God. Rajsikor tamsik food is never offered as Bhog. The only persons who were offeredtamsikand rajsikfood in Ramayana are Ahi Ravana and Kumbhkaran. Both of them were of an evil nature. Kumbhkaran signified tamas and Ahi Ravana, rajas or aggression. Tamsikand rajsik food can be converted into satvikby slow heating, sprouting or keeping them in water overnight. The examples are sprouted wheat and chana (chickpeas), etc.

A mixture of honey, milk, ghee, curd and sugar is called panchamrut and is a routine offering to God. All the five components have satvik properties and their consumption promotes health.

In Ayurveda, there is a saying that any food item, which grows under the ground, is tamsik in nature and one, which comes from the top of the tree or plant like leaves, flower and fruits are satvik in nature. Satvik food is usually fresh, seasonal and locally grown.

Human beings are made up of body, mind and soul and soul is equated to consciousness or God. If whatever is offered to the external God is also offered to the internal God or consciousness it leads to inner happiness. The ritual, therefore, of offering food to God before eating forces us to either eat only satvik food or to include a substantial portion of satvik food in our meals. It helps a person convert his meal into a pure satvik one or at least adding satvik items.

Sprinkling water around the plate is considered an act of purification.

Many people confuse bhogwith chadhavaor offerings to the deity. While bhog is shared with God, chadhava is the offering of your illness or negative thoughts to the God and you go back with prasada of inner happiness. Many people counter the above argument by saying that alcohol is offered to Bhairon, viewed as a demon God, which means alcohol, is good for health. I personally feel that alcohol is offered to Bhairon not as bhog but as an offering which means that people who are addicted to alcohol go to Bhairon and give their share of alcohol to him so they can de-addict themselves.